Being a dad is one of the toughest jobs in the world. It ranks right up there with being a husband. Let’s say they are No. 1a and No. 1b. Wouldn’t you agree?

But both have their perks. There aren’t many things, if any, that can provide as much joy. If you have never been in love before, once you become a dad, it all changes.

1. You get to be a kid again. Remember when you were a kid and you always wanted to be a grown-up? Your parents may have looked at you and said, “Enjoy being a kid.” Well, when you have kids, that big kid inside comes out, and you get to experience all those fun kid experiences again. I always say I am still a kid ... just a kid with responsibilities.

2. Being a dad keeps you young. Although you may not have realized it, there was a time when you were not only aging, but you were acting and feeling like it. Your music choices changed, and you were unaware of a lot of things going on around you. When you become a dad, you quickly get up to speed on the newest things. You find yourself knowing what’s hot and what’s not, just so you can understand your kids a little better.

3. You find out how much you can love someone else. How often has your kid been sick and you wished you could trade places with them? When you are a dad, you have more than one heartbeat. You have yours and your kid’s. When they hurt, you hurt. But when they have joy, you probably have more joy than they do.

4. You grow as a person more than you ever have. When our first child was born, I felt like I grew up overnight. Hanging out with the fellas and dragging into work the next day went out the door. Spending money like it was guaranteed to replenish itself the next month was no longer acceptable. Being the man I was at that point was not good enough to be the dad I wanted to be. My process of intentional growth began.

5. You become a hero—instantly. When my youngest son looks at me now, he doesn’t see my flaws. In fact, he probably sees me as invincible. When something scares him, he runs to me. When he wants something, he runs to me. (Well, sometimes he goes to my wife.) When he wants to play, he asks me to play. To our kids we are heroes, even when we mess things up.

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6. You have the opportunity to pour into your kids. Your kids depend upon you to not just provide, but to teach them about life. You get the opportunity to train them up “in the way they should go” like the Bible says. What a great privilege and opportunity that is!

7. You get to hope someone is way better than you. Up until this point, your life may have focused on making yourself No. 1. But when you have kids, your focus shifts to hoping, helping and doing whatever you can to make sure they become better than you. And not just a little better, but way better!

There are so many things to love about being a dad. What do you love most about it?

All Pro Dad is Family First’s innovative and unique program for every father. Their aim is to interlock the hearts of the fathers with their children and, as a byproduct, the hearts of the children with their dads. At AllProDad.com, dads in any stage of fatherhood can find helpful resources to aid in their parenting. Resources include daily emails, blogs, Top 10 lists, articles, printable tools, videos and eBooks. From AllProDad.com, fathers can join the highly engaged All Pro Dad social media communities on Facebook,Twitter,YouTube and Instagram.

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